Let Me Call You Sweetheart
by Carebeark5
Summary: Shane talks Rita into telling Norman how she really feels.


Shane sighed it had been a long day and she was in desperate need of a coffee break. Bending down she grabbed her purse, "Anyone else ready for a lunch break?" She asked looking around the room at her co-workers. Oliver was seated at his desk re-reading one of the letters they had been working on, while Norman paged through one of his giant books.

"I think I'll work a little longer on this." He told her holding up the letter.

So far they had no clues as to who the letter belonged to and nothing to go on once the few clues they had didn't pan out. "Norman?" She asked as he flipped another page, "No thanks."

"I'll join you," Rita said standing up.

They headed to the Mailbox Grill and took a seat near the window, "I'm glad we got some time alone, just the two of us." Usually it was the four of them and it was actually nice to be able to have some girl talk.

"Oh me too."

"Hey Rita, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Shane you can ask me anything."

"How long have you liked Norman?"

"Oh uh..." Rita stumbled a little caught off guard by her friends question.

"If you don't want to talk about it we don't have to." Shane said glancing down at the menu.

"No it's ok. You just caught me off guard, that's all. I.. I don't really know when it happened but you know Norman, he's just so smart and he knows so many different things, he's so charming in his own way."

Shane couldn't help but smile, she could clearly see how much she cared about him, "Why don't you tell him how you feel?"

Rita pushed her glasses up nervously, "Oh I couldn't."

"Why not, I bet he feels the same way."

"Really you think he might share my feelings?"

"Why not? Rita your smart and beautiful and quite a catch if I do say so myself."

"So you really think I should tell him?" She asked as the waitress delivered their lunch.

"Yes I do. Men are clueless, sometimes you have to spell things out for them." Shane told her speaking from experience.

"But what if he doesn't feel the same?" Rita asked timidly. She had worried about that very thing for the longest time.

"Well sweetie at least you put yourself out there but you'll never know until you tell him. I really think you'll be surprised."

Releasing a deep sigh Rita realized Shane was right, she would never know until she tried. She had tried to tell him in the past but had quickly chickened out, but not this time. This time she would be brave or tough like the Dryococelus australus. She smiled at the thought of Norman, maybe Shane was right perhaps he had feelings for her too. There was only one way to find out.

They took lunch back to the DLO for the guys and Rita sat at her desk contemplating the perfect way to tell him how she felt. She was so lost in thought she hadn't even noticed that he had been trying to get her attention. "Oh...uh sorry what were you saying Norman?"

"I was just letting you know that Oliver is letting us go home for the day. We haven't found anything further on the letter so we'll start again in the morning."

"Oh alright." She answered as Norman turned to gather his things.

"Ummm...Norman."

"Yes."

He turned and was looking at her and she stood their a minute before gathering up the courage to go on, "I was wondering if you were busy tonight?"

"No I had no real plans. I thought I might organize my stamp collection, why what did you have in mind?" He asked as they headed out the door.

"Ummm...do you maybe want to go see a movie." She managed to blurt out pushing her glasses up before continuing. "I heard they are playing Singing in the Rain at the Cherry Creek tonight."

"Did you know that in the rainstorm where Gene Kelly performs the title song they used water mixed with milk so it would show up better on camera and also that he performed that number while sick with a fever."

"No I didn't know that." She said shaking her head and smiling at him. "But it's one of my favorite movies."

"Well I would love to accompany you, Rita." He told her with a nervous laugh.

She smiled as they headed out of the building and headed to her car. So,she hadn't exactly told him how she felt yet but this was a start in the right direction. Sometimes they spent time together outside of work, usually at the Mailbox Grill but it had never really been just the two of them.

They took their seats just as the previews started playing and Rita couldn't help but feel nervous. Glancing over at Norman, she studied his profile as he watched the screen in front of them. She wondered what he would say when she told him because she had pictured that very moment a hundred times and the various reactions that would come of it. In her mind they were always positive because she didn't want to think of the alternative.

Usually it was just him smiling back at her and admitting that he had felt the same way for a long time but was just too scared to say anything. This was almost always followed by a kiss and she hoped and prayed that was what would happen tonight.

Even though this was one of her favorite movies, she just couldn't concentrate on it. "Would you like some?" He asked breaking her from her thoughts as he tilted the popcorn bag to offer her some.

"Oh thanks." She said reaching for a handful.

At one point during the movie they both ended up reaching for some at the same time, their hand meeting in the bag. "Oh uh..sorry go ahead." He said taking his hand away and smiling at her.

"Oh no it's ok, you go ahead."

"I insist." He said as she finally took some.

"Thank you Norman."

She loved when he smiled at her, she liked to think he did it more for her than he did for the others. The movie ended and she knew she had to say something soon. She had to tell him after all Shane was right. "Uh... Norman do you want to stop at the Mailbox for some coffee?" She asked not wanting the night to end, especially not before she told him.

"Sure sound like a plan." He told her as they made their way through the lobby, tossing their trash into the garbage pails on their way out.

She sat across from him in the diner which was pretty full tonight. "How did you like the movie?" He asked fiddling with his napkin.

"Oh I loved it, it never disappoints. I've probably seen it a dozen times."

"You really like it then. Did you know that Debbie Reynolds had no dance training before the movie." He told her with a nervous laugh.

"No I didn't know that either. Wow you would never know it from the movie, I mean she was amazing. I always wished I could dance like that." She said with a wistful sigh.

"Did you ever take lessons?" He asked as the waitress delivered their drinks.

"I tried I was never very good at it, I'm kinda clumsy." She said pushing back her glasses.

"I'm sure your not that bad, I on the other hand." He said laughing at his own joke.

"Oh no Norman your not clumsy, not at all. Um...actually theres something I wanted to tell you." She gripped the cup in her hands and decided to just go for it.

"Norman, I like you, a lot."

"Well I like you a lot too Rita." He said not really understanding what she was trying to say.

"No I mean I like you as more than just a friend, I have for a long time now. Remember that story I wrote?"

"Renita Hayweather Frontier Duchess?"

She nodded, "It was about you and me, kind of. I mean I changed our names and exaggerated a bit but it was really how I felt about you...how I feel." She was looking down at her drink too scared to look him in the eye as she waited for his reaction. At first he didn't really know what to say, he never imagined that she felt that way about him too. Reaching over he touched her chin and gently lifted it so she was looking at him. He smiled at her, "Rita I share your feelings."

"Y...you do."

"I do."

"Oh Norman, I never imagined. Well I mean I imagined it but I was scared you wouldn't feel the same way."

"I definitely do, how could I not. Your a very beautiful woman Rita."

In that moment she never felt happier, she couldn't wait to tell Shane. After all this never would have happened if it weren't for her.


End file.
